Why Diamond Platnumz and Morgan Heritage?

These past months have seen the internet and the east African media most especially, awash with stories of Tanzanian top artiste Diamond Platnumz who has been in the news for marital issues concerning his cheating on Ugandan wife Zari Hassan. Apparently Diamond’s alleged infidelity has resulted in revelations that he has impregnated his ex, Tanzanian model Hamisa Mobeto.

I will leave this story at that and turn to his musical exploits which apparently has not been lying docile due to the trouble brewing over his social life.

Around this same time, Diamond Platnumz real name Naseeb Abdul Juma who has done collaborations with international musical acts that I can’t count with my fingers and toes decided to collaborate with the Jamaican royal family of reggae, The Morgan Heritage, to do a love song called Hallelujah.

To begin with, when groups collaborate usually it is because there is something common in their musical exploits. The coming together of Diamond Platnumz and Morgan Heritage therefore was something that was unprecedented.

This is why; Morgan Heritage is a reggae band that has the best reggae album Grammy award for their album ‘Strictly Roots’. On the other hand, Diamond Platnumz is an afro-pop artist whose collaborations with other such African artistes like Zimbabwean Jah Prayzah and Nigerians Davido and P Square, Mr flavour to mention but a few.

On the international scene he has also collaborated with US Ne-Yo doing a track Marry and this well understood as African pop borrows a lot from the R&B genre of the US.

Listening and watching the results of Diamond Platnumz and Morgan Heritage’s collaboration one would agree that they both came down to meet at a convenient level.

There is a track called Nana done by Diamond featuring Mr Flavour which clearly shows how the Nigerian and Tanzanian beat can easily fuse.

Now when one looks at Culture – the Jamaican reggae outfit – for example would we say this is the band that can collaborate with Diamond Platnumz. I think there is no such chance.

In 1990 Morgan Heritage’s debut album called Growing Up was an R&B album it was only in 1994 when the band was officially formed and the group moved to Jamaica, the home of their musician father Denroy Morgan that they settled for reggae in earnest.

Over this period they have released some of the reggae’s greatest hits like Down by the River, Reggae Bring Back Love, Let’s make it up, Protect Us Jah, She is still loving me, Tell Me How come

Peetah, Morgan Heritage’s lead vocalist has still the R&B influenced vocals which when you come to think of it made sense to collaborate with Diamond Platnumz.

When you watch the Hallelujah video more appreciation of this departure from the reggae discipline from the Heritage’s part will be appreciated while for Diamonds this is his turf.

For the lovers of traditional roots reggae the collaboration has been dismissed as a disgrace while for the liberals this is making not only a marketing sense but it brings the members of Morgan Heritage closer to their home continent of Africa.

Without being trapped in some rigid posture, the decision by the reggae outfit only shows their versatility. The elements of not being a pure reggae is also clearly seen and observed in their latest album released on May 19 this year called Avrakedabra which follows their acclaimed Grammy Award-winning Strictly Roots.

Much as the album title poses many questions so is the 15-track album which if you have the history of Morgan Heritage you will not be surprised with its cross breeding of genres.

And therefore their collaboration with Diamond Platnumz is not a total surprise and if any Malawian musical outfit of artiste were n doubt when Morgan Heritage offered for collaboration when they were twice in the country, there goes your answer. 

Where is Morgan Heritage?

Of course this is only April and the year is still very young. But I guess I can start from where I stopped that on August 29, 2013, at around 1841 hours, Gramps Morgan wrote on his official Facebook wall that it’s official: “We are coming to Africa, the dates have been cut out any ‘Experienced Promoter’ can link us or if you know ‘the best promoter’ in your country have them contact us Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe.”

I have been watching the media spaces in the country but I have not seen anywhere else where it has been mentioned that Morgan Heritage has confirmed of their coming to Malawi.

At one point or the other, we were told that Multi Choice Malawi was in discussions to bring the Royal Reggae Family band to Malawi but there issues to do with the size of the monies that would exchange hands before they could really confirm their availability this year.

Like I said before, I have no problems with other countries where they had scheduled to visit because such musicians of repute visit and perform in those countries times without number. But I had a problem with how the local entertainment industry is going to handle this offer.

It’s a challenge, I said, that will speak volumes of how organised or mediocre our entertainment industry is. For someone who has been writing about music since 1993, I find it sad that if Gramps Morgan were to contact me to find him the best promoter in the country, surely I would not point at anyone.

I know another musical star, the Jazz connoisseur Earl Klugh, who visited Malawi courtesy of the Standard Bank’s ‘Joy of Jazz’ project.

For the sake of those that missed my first entry on the same I have to repeat by saying that I might assume too much that each and everyone here knows who Gramps Morgan - or The Morgan Heritage - is.

Denroy Morgan is the patriarchal genesis of the Morgan Heritage. He fathered 17 sons and 12 daughters. Denroy is famed as aJamaican reggae artist who was born in May Pen in Clarendon, but left Jamaica in 1965 at the age of 19 and travelled to theUnited States to become a musician.

He was part of the formation the Black Eagles, a New York City reggae band, in the 1970s before launching a prosperous solo career in the 1980s onwards.

With his Black Eagles, Denroy won the New York Reggae Music Festival in 1977 which set of his rise to fame which continued into the early 1980s. His most successful release "I'll Do Anything for You" in 1981 reinforced his fame as it peaked at Number 9 on the American soul chart. It also peaked at Number 7 on the dance charts and these successes helped to launch his solo reggae career.

His 29 children were all musical growing up and have since formed two separate bands; The Morgan Heritage and LMS.

Morgan Heritage is reggae band initially started as an octet featuring eight of Morgan's 29 children. Morgan Heritage began recording with their father in the early '90s.

Their father produced their debut single, ‘Wonderful World’, in 1991 followed shortly after by an album, ‘Growing Up’. Morgan Heritage’s first break came the following year when they performed at the Reggae Sunsplash.

Morgan Heritage is known globally as the “Royal Family of Reggae” and the “Rolling Stones of Reggae” owing to their electric stage antics.

Now the reggae band is made up of Peetah Morgan, Una Morgan, Roy ‘Gramps’ Morgan, Nakhamyah "Lukes" Morgan and Memo "Mr. Mojo" Morgan.

 

On the other hand, LMS is a dancehall and hip hop band made up of the trio Noshayah Morgan, Otiya ‘Laza’ Morgan and Miriam Morgan.

Now Roy "Gramps" Morgan who posted about their possible trip to Malawi is also a solo reggae singer whose debut album entitled ‘Two Sides of My Heart’ earned him a number of nominations for awards. He also made it big in 2009 when he featured in India Arie’s track ‘Therapy’. He has his second solo album to his name ‘Reggae Music Lives’ released in 2012.

After recording several successful albums that included ‘Full Cycle’ and ‘Three in One’ among others, Morgan Heritage took a five-year break but this year they have they have released their latest studio album ‘Here Come The Kings’.

Now if you look at the resume of Morgan Heritage - or better still Gramps Morgan - you will realise that they are not a small music unit.

 

And I repeat that their expressed interest to perform in Malawi cannot be taken lightly. Between June and August they will be perfoming in the USA with Barrington Levy. Currently they are touring Europe since March.

Now I ask again, where is the promoter to talk to The Morgan Heritage?

Time is running out.

 

Morgan Heritage challenges Malawi

On August 29, 2013, at around 1841 hours, Gramps Morgan wrote on his official facebook wall that it’s official: “We are coming to Africa, the dates have been cut out any ‘Experienced Promoter’ can link us or if you know ‘the best promoter’ in your country have them contact us Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Malawi and Zimbabwe.”

I have no problems with other countries because such musicians of repute visit and perform in those countries times without number. But I have a problem with how the local entertainment industry is going to handle this offer.

It’s a challenge that will speak volumes of how organised or mediocre our entertainment industry is. For someone who has been writing about music since 1993, I find it sad that if Gramps Morgan were to contact me to find him the best promoter in the country, surely I would not point at anyone.

I know another musical star, the Jazz connoisseur Earl Klugh, will be visiting Malawi soon, but it will be courtesy of the Standard Bank’s ‘Joy of Jazz’ project.

Well, I might assume too much that each and everyone here knows who Gramps Morgan - or The Morgan Heritage - is.

Denroy Morgan is the patriarchal genesis of the Morgan Heritage. He fathered 17 sons and 12 daughters. Denroy is famed as a Jamaican reggae artist who was born in May Pen in Clarendon, but left Jamaica in 1965 at the age of 19 and travelled to the United States to become a musician.

He was part of the formation the Black Eagles, a New York City reggae band, in the 1970s before launching a prosperous solo career in the 1980s onwards.

With his Black Eagles, Denroy won the New York Reggae Music Festival in 1977 which set of his rise to fame which continued into the early 1980s. His most successful release "I'll Do Anything for You" in 1981 reinforced his fame as it peaked at Number 9 on the American soul chart. It also peaked at Number 7 on the dance charts and these successes helped to launch his solo reggae career.

His 29 children were all musical growing up and have since formed two separate bands; The Morgan Heritage and LMS.

Morgan Heritage is reggae band initially started as an octet featuring eight of Morgan's 29 children. Morgan Heritage began recording with their father in the early '90s.

Their father produced their debut single, ‘Wonderful World’, in 1991 followed shortly after by an album, ‘Growing Up’. Morgan Heritage’s first break came the following year when they performed at the Reggae Sunsplash.

Morgan Heritage is known globally as the “Royal Family of Reggae” and the “Rolling Stones of Reggae” owing to their electric stage antics.

Now the reggae band is made up of Peetah Morgan, Una Morgan, Roy ‘Gramps’ Morgan, Nakhamyah "Lukes" Morgan and Memo "Mr. Mojo" Morgan. On the other hand, LMS is a dancehall and hip hop band made up of the trio Noshayah Morgan, Otiya ‘Laza’ Morgan and Miriam Morgan.

Now Roy "Gramps" Morgan who posted about their possible trip to Malawi is also a solo reggae singer whose debut album entitled ‘Two Sides of My Heart’ earned him a number of nominations for awards. He also made it big in 2009 when he featured in India Arie’s track ‘Therapy’. He has his second solo album to his name ‘Reggae Music Lives’ released in 2012.

After recording several successful albums that included ‘Full Cycle’ and ‘Three in One’ among others, Morgan Heritage took a five-year break but this year they have they have released their latest studio album ‘Here Come The Kings’.

Now if you look at the resume of Morgan Heritage - or better still Gramps Morgan - you will realise that they are not a small music unit.

And their expressed interest to perform in Malawi cannot be taken lightly.

Now I am not aware of how this is going to work out. If you must know, apart from Standard Bank, the other firms that have brought artists to the country include the telecommunication company Access which brought South African’s Freshly Grounds to Music Lake of Stars festival in Mangochi.

There was also Total Malawi that used to bring Western African stars like Salif Keita, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Angelique Kidjo, Ismael Lo among others with their collaboration with the defunct French Cultural Centre.

Now considering that these are not promoters but were only doing so with an interest to promote their business profiles, I am still left with the question: if Morgan Heritage wants an ‘experienced promoter’ or Malawi’s ‘best promoter’ to link them with their tour if they have to perform in the country, are we really going to get the better end of the stick in this deal?

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